Author Topic: D-Pad and Other Hardware Improvements (Read 44569 times)

Unholy Warz · « **Reply #60 on:** January 23, 2015, 05:58:01 pm »

My d-pad is really mushy but I don't have the finesse to whittle plastic for the gb replacement.

Might this work with the d-pad somehow too?

opt2not · « **Reply #61 on:** January 23, 2015, 07:56:50 pm »

Quote from: gmay3 on February 18, 2014, 02:07:46 pm

As a ballpark estimate these would likely be available for purchase mid to late 2014.

Any updates about this? I wouldn't mind updating my GCW with these newer parts if it improves the feel and lessens the noise.

Goggles2114 · « **Reply #62 on:** January 23, 2015, 09:47:30 pm »

Alright. In addition to the button mods. Can you give us a user srfvicable battery? Why that wasn't a thing in an 'open source user hackable' handheld from the start completely baffles me. I mean c'mon I expect that kind of stuff off Apple, not someone dependent on the open source community.

gmay3 · « **Reply #63 on:** January 24, 2015, 11:50:10 am »

Really nice looking mods guys!

Goggles2114, I hear ya. This is something we would like to do as well in the future. I don't know for sure why this wasn't on the radar for the consumer GCW model, but I would imagine the user serviceable battery would had added cost in parts (battery connectors, labor, etc.).

Gab1975 · « **Reply #64 on:** January 24, 2015, 12:12:16 pm »

A "pre-modded kit" with a ready d-pad and buttons (+ respective membranes) it would be a great help in the modding/improvement operations... maybe marketed from the GCW... ehm, but now I'm too optimistic!

Goggles2114 · « **Reply #65 on:** January 24, 2015, 04:25:01 pm »

Any ideas why you went with a textureless d-pad? Just looking at the zero with the DMG d-pad makes it look better. I dunno, personal preference I guess.

Would like the ability to swap out for colored buttons. Add a little solace.

Hell, add the option for a colored back plate (that's intended to be gotten into. Not sure if any design changes would be needed there since a screw hole is a screw hole. Maybe make the access bits wider with little rubbery domes instead of teeny tiny glue bits,) and I'd want to get a white one. I like the two tone look.

I want the zero to have a long and healthy life. For this to happen we need a healthy supply of replacement parts.

Mountainmohawk · « **Reply #66 on:** January 24, 2015, 09:27:12 pm »

Anyone have any idea of how to improve the responsiveness of the shoulder buttons? My l button is pretty awful.

8BitKid · « **Reply #67 on:** February 13, 2015, 12:26:43 am »

Are there any plans to release a new batch with these case revisions? I actually had the GCW Zero SE, but sold it because the hardware was so bad at the time. It seems like there are some fixes and solutions, but would love to buy it again if these changes were integrated.

congusbongus · « **Reply #68 on:** February 13, 2015, 05:33:12 am »

Quote from: Goggles2114 on January 24, 2015, 04:25:01 pm

Any ideas why you went with a textureless d-pad? Just looking at the zero with the DMG d-pad makes it look better. I dunno, personal preference I guess.

Textureless d-pads are more comfortable. I have memories of getting blisters on my left thumb from playing SNES street fighter 2 (guess why). The best regarded d-pads (Saturn, PS) are textureless. Even Nintendo have stopped making textured d-pads since GC. The only advantage I can think of for textured is if you're into the NES/GB nostalgia.

hi-ban · « **Reply #69 on:** February 13, 2015, 11:32:33 am »

Quote from: congusbongus on February 13, 2015, 05:33:12 am

I have memories of getting blisters on my left thumb from playing SNES street fighter 2 (guess why).

Same happened to me with Killer Instinct on the GB.

Aeter · « **Reply #70 on:** February 13, 2015, 12:26:18 pm »

If you want blisters, try mario party.

TheMcD · « **Reply #71 on:** February 14, 2015, 08:43:55 pm »

Well, I tried my hand at doing the DMG-1 d-pad replacement using the pad from my old GB, and it failed horribly. The plastic was just refusing to cooperate when it came to being cut and was pinging off all over the place, leading to imprecise cuts. Eventually, it was whittled down to what I figured resembled the figures in the pictures in the wiki article, I installed it, and it turned my Zero into an unusable mess - the left diagonals turned hyper-sensitive, making even menu browsing a nightmare, and the pad would stick harder than the original one. So now I'm going to have to install the old d-pad back just so I can actually browse the menu and stuff.

Is that caused by age or something? Being a part from an original GB, it was fairly old and had been used quite a bit, but it was still perfectly fine when it was still in the GB. Would ordering a newly-made replacement make it easier to cut properly, and if so, is there a store that sells those that doesn't charge outrageous shipping fees and take incredibly long to ship to Germany like Kitsch-Bent, posted earlier in the thread, does?

Surkow · « **Reply #72 on:** February 14, 2015, 11:07:13 pm »

Even though shipping won't be any faster, I'd recommend something like this.

Goggles2114 · « **Reply #73 on:** February 15, 2015, 12:39:25 am »

Epic. Also useful if you want to try making a raspberry pi gameboy.

I do note no rubber pads though. Bit of a minus. Good find.

TheMcD · « **Reply #74 on:** February 15, 2015, 12:51:10 am »

Quote from: Surkow on February 14, 2015, 11:07:13 pm

Even though shipping won't be any faster, I'd recommend something like this.

They actually don't ship to Germany at all, so that's not an option either.

I ended up finding a different store that had what I was looking for called ASM Retro at a decent enough rate and ordered two d-pads from them (in case I mess up with one). Now the waiting starts.

Surkow · « **Reply #75 on:** February 15, 2015, 01:10:50 am »

Quote from: TheMcD on February 15, 2015, 12:51:10 am

Quote from: Surkow on February 14, 2015, 11:07:13 pm
Even though shipping won't be any faster, I'd recommend something like this.

They actually don't ship to Germany at all, so that's not an option either.

I ended up finding a different store that had what I was looking for called ASM Retro at a decent enough rate and ordered two d-pads from them (in case I mess up with one). Now the waiting starts.

Germany is listed as a shipping option. I received my order from that guy in a matter of weeks.

TheMcD · « **Reply #76 on:** February 15, 2015, 03:28:33 am »

Quote from: Surkow on February 15, 2015, 01:10:50 am

Quote from: TheMcD on February 15, 2015, 12:51:10 am
Quote from: Surkow on February 14, 2015, 11:07:13 pm
Even though shipping won't be any faster, I'd recommend something like this.

They actually don't ship to Germany at all, so that's not an option either.

I ended up finding a different store that had what I was looking for called ASM Retro at a decent enough rate and ordered two d-pads from them (in case I mess up with one). Now the waiting starts.
Germany is listed as a shipping option. I received my order from that guy in a matter of weeks.

I guess I was mostly confused because that one listing in particular had it in big red letters that it would not ship to Germany, so I assumed it to be the same for the others:

Well, now I've already ordered from somewhere else (that, and the guy is on holiday from Feb 13th to Feb 25th), but I'll keep that guy in mind, should I mess up those parts as well (and I've got the bad feeling that I'll manage to do that somehow).

Thanks for pointing that out.

Xaijiqq · « **Reply #77 on:** February 15, 2015, 10:11:24 am »

Quote from: TheMcD on February 14, 2015, 08:43:55 pm

Well, I tried my hand at doing the DMG-1 d-pad replacement using the pad from my old GB, and it failed horribly. The plastic was just refusing to cooperate when it came to being cut and was pinging off all over the place, leading to imprecise cuts. Eventually, it was whittled down to what I figured resembled the figures in the pictures in the wiki article, I installed it, and it turned my Zero into an unusable mess - the left diagonals turned hyper-sensitive, making even menu browsing a nightmare, and the pad would stick harder than the original one. So now I'm going to have to install the old d-pad back just so I can actually browse the menu and stuff.

Is that caused by age or something? Being a part from an original GB, it was fairly old and had been used quite a bit, but it was still perfectly fine when it was still in the GB. Would ordering a newly-made replacement make it easier to cut properly, and if so, is there a store that sells those that doesn't charge outrageous shipping fees and take incredibly long to ship to Germany like Kitsch-Bent, posted earlier in the thread, does?

what exactly did you use to cut the dpad? i wouldn't use the suggested X-Acto knife unless its a heavy duty one because i went through 2 of them breaking both blades it is a pretty tough material

ker · « **Reply #78 on:** February 15, 2015, 12:29:50 pm »

Quote from: Xaijiqq on February 15, 2015, 10:11:24 am

what exactly did you use to cut the dpad? i wouldn't use the suggested X-Acto knife unless its a heavy duty one because i went through 2 of them breaking both blades it is a pretty tough material

I've used a x-acto knife with a #11 blade and it works just fine. Just made small cuts each time.

Verdugo · « **Reply #79 on:** February 15, 2015, 03:56:16 pm »

Hi, I don't know if this is the right topic, but does anyone know if Dragonbox.de will be supplied with the improved gcw units? The gcw zero has been out of stock there for quite some time and I wonder if the next batch supplied will have improved dpads and buttons.

Author Topic: D-Pad and Other Hardware Improvements (Read 44569 times)

gmay3 (OP)